ireland.com - The Irish Times

Mighty ending to four-hour epic
GAELIC GAMES: That's all, folks. Even epics have endings and yesterday at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, driven by a desire which at times was ferocious enough to be frightening, finally slew Tipperary and rode off after many years of wandering to the high chaparral. A Munster final awaits. If the final reels of this blockbuster lacked the quality of what went before, well at least the drama was still there. p

Tired Dublin fail to convince sceptics
GAELIC GAMES/Football Qualifiers: First round draw: After the previous week's demanding replay against Meath, Leinster champions Dublin looked listless for much of yesterday's provincial semi-final against Offaly. By the end of a non-descript afternoon's football the crowd of 77,623 must have been pretty weary as well. p

Murray injury surely scotches British Wimbledon hopes
TENNIS: Maybe Andy Murray had one look at the skies and knew that when Wimbledon's Centre Court is denuded of all of its covering due to the renovation taking place, the weather gods become more malevolent than normal. A rain-soaked London welcomed those who hope to triumph on the grass at SW19 but Murray will not be one of them. The 20-year-old yesterday finally conceded that the wrist he injured on the clay in Hamburg last month had not recovered sufficiently for him to step into Tim Henman's shoes and become Britain's perennial hope. p

Gaelic Games

New, improved Leitrim fall just short
Connacht SF Championship Semi-final/Galway 0-17 Leitrim 1-10: "I'm sick. Not just at the way the game went. I am genuinely sick. I was in bed all day yesterday and had to get injections for today," sighed Dessie Dolan. p
Holders book place in final
Roscommon 1-11 Mayo 1-5: A sublime Roscommon stunned a highly rated Mayo to qualify for the Connacht minor football final at Dr Hyde Park on Saturday. p
Galway finish on a high note
Connacht MF Semi-finals/Galway 0-13 Sligo 1-8: Galway survived a late comeback by Sligo yesterday to set up a Connacht final meeting with All-Ireland champions Roscommon. p
Kildare's late burst decisive
Christy Ring Cup/Kildare 2-17 Wicklow 1-17: Kildare finished much the stronger side to claim a first win in this year's Christy Ring Cup at Clane on Saturday evening. The home side took a 0-4 to 0-2 lead in the early stages but Wicklow's SeáKeogh started a scoring blitz which yielded eight scores before Kildare could muster a reply. p
Cork set ablaze by Burns
Cork 1-10 Galway 0-8: Síle Burns scored 1-2 as Cork continued their impressive run in the Gala Senior A Camogie Championship yesterday with a 1-10 to 0-8 victory over Galway at Athenry. p
Dominant Derry ease into final
Ulster MF Semi-final/Derry 1-11 Monaghan 0-1: Derry strolled to a facile victory over outclassed Monaghan in the Ulster minor semi-final at Casement Park yesterday. p
Impressive Monaghan return to the top table
Ulster SF Championship Semi-final/Monaghan 0-14 Derry 1-9: Monaghan's new kids-on-the-block rolled back the years at Casement Park yesterday. They performed with gusto and determination to reach the Ulster final for the first time since 1988 and, in so doing, beat Derry for the first time in 23 years. p
Old flaws come back to haunt Dublin
It was obvious that Dublin's plan was to start at a high intensity. The benefit of the two Meath games meant they were able to hit the ground running at championship pace. Offaly seemed way out of their depth but Dublin kept their door open in their own usual style. p
Murphys inspire Carlow
Leinster MF Semi-final/Carlow 1-10 Louth 0-9: Carlow will contest their first Leinster minor final since 1994 after a fully deserved four-point win over Louth on the Dublin/Offaly undercard yesterday. p
Hoping to avoid the bogeymen
All-Ireland qualifier draw comment: It was like Sunday night at the movies in Carrick-on-Shannon for the live qualifying draw yesterday evening. In the lounge above where the draw was taking place, they were all but munching popcorn as they awaited to see who Leitrim would face after their narrow Connacht championship exit. Hope we get Armagh, offered one man in pinstripes brightly. p
Dublin advance
Leinster MHC Semi-finals/Dublin 1-13 Wexford 0-6: A wonderful seven-point contribution by centre forward David Treacy was the highlight of a clinical victory for Dublin on Saturday at Dr Cullen Park. p
Offaly put up poor challenge but victors don't play like champions
Leinster SFC Semi-final/Dublin 1-12 Offaly 0-10: It's hard to identify any redeeming feature of yesterday's Bank of Ireland Leinster football championship semi-final. Dublin proceeded to another final, but after a display they will choose to forget quickly. p
Cautious Caffrey keeps it short and sweet
We're calling it Pillar Watch now. Plenty has been made of Paul Caffrey's unique media technique since he became Dublin manager three years ago. (Paul doesn't mince words. Actually, he doesn't use many words at all.) p
Kilkenny do enough
Kilkenny 1-17 Laois 0-16: Kilkenny were given a real fright by Laois in the second semi-final. When Joseph Phelan pointed for Laois with six minutes remaining, just a point separated the sides. But four points in succession, including two superb scores by Mark Bergin and Michael Fagan, secured Kilkenny's victory. p
Maher sets the tone as Tipperary ease through
Munster MHC Semi-final/Tipperary 3-21 Limerick 0-12: A third-minute goal from full forward Pat Maher put Tipperary on their way to a comfortable win over a disappointing Limerick in the Munster minor semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday. p
Limerick go forward on waves of passion
Limerick ... 0-22 Tipperary ... 2-13 AET, 1-12 to 0-15 after normal time: Well, nothing is forever. Limerick and Tipperary tangoed for four hours and 10 minutes and at times yesterday it looked as if they would be taking to the floor again next Saturday night. Extra- time did what it is supposed to do though, wedging the width of a goal between the sides to put an end to the summer's most interesting dalliance. Limerick move on to a Munster final. Tipp drift away to the murky world of the qualifiers. p
Use of video evidence to aid referees is urged
Saturday's special meeting of the GAA's Central Council agreed a number of recommendations in response to recent disciplinary controversies. There is little new in terms of powers and procedures but two significant initiatives emerged. p
Strength and desire prove ultimate difference
After what has been an incredible trilogy of matches it's hard to know where to begin, but I would have to start by congratulating Limerick. This was another fantastic display of hurling from both teams, as intense as anything I've ever seen, and on the balance of play over the 70 minutes, and also extra-time, Limerick have proved deserving winners. Not even the most ardent Tipperary supporter could deny that. p
Words don't come easy after epic
So, after the greatest trilogy in Munster championship history, after three games, two periods of extra-time, after about four and a half hours of hurling, it was hardly surprising that Limerick manager Richie Bennis was struggling for words - and Tipperary's Michael "Babs" Keating was simply lost for them. It seemed crazy to ask these men to try and make sense of it all, when we couldn't even begin. p

Soccer

Wenger looks set to stay at Arsenal
Gilles Grimandi is expected to become Arsenal's director of football this week as Arsene Wenger moves on from the turbulence of the past three months. p
Former Northern Ireland striker dies aged 69
Death of Derek Dougan: Former Wolves and Northern Ireland striker Derek Dougan has died at the age of 69. The news will come as a shock to the Molineux faithful, who marvelled at his skills following his arrival from Leicester in 1967. p
Bohemians aim to go third in table
League of Ireland: Bohemians will look to move above Premier Division rivals Shamrock Rovers and into third place this evening at Dalymount Park, where they take on Waterford United in a game (kick-off 8pm) televised live by Setanta Sports. p

Rugby

All Blacks punish tiring Springboks Rugby Tri-Nations
South Africa 21 New Zealand 26: While some may believe that New Zealand's 26-21 Tri-Nations victory against South Africa on Saturday confirms their status as overwhelming favourites for the World Cup this autumn, the Kiwis coach, Graham Henry, believes that no such psychological points were gained. p
Munster look to Payne
Munster have appointed their recently retired fullback Shaun Payne as team manager. The 35-year-old South African, whose professional playing career ended last month, is held in high regard by the 2006 Heineken European Cup champions and their supporters. p

Golf

Torrance holds nerve to claim London victory
SENIORS TOUR: Sam Torrance held his nerve to produce a magnificent up-and-down on the final hole to secure a one stroke victory over José Rivero in the Bendinat London Seniors Masters at The London Golf Club, his second success in three editions of the tournament. p
Fasth deprives local hero Langer
Munich International Open: Niclas Fasth, the leading European player in fourth place in last week's US Open, kept his form - and his head - to win the International Open in Munich yesterday after the local hero Bernhard Langer had threatened to steal the show. p

Racing

Fallon back in style with win in Paris
Kieren Fallon bounced back from the disappointment of missing Royal Ascot when securing his first Group One triumph of the year on board Mountain High in yesterday's Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in France. p
Just like the English to ruin the Aussie party
Letter From Australia: The former Co Down footballer Marty Clarke astounded a nation, perhaps two nations, when he made his debut with the Australian Football League club Collingwood at the weekend. Clarke (19) had played 10 games of Australian football before running out with the biggest club in the land before a packed Olympic Stadium in Sydney. p

Other

Irish land record haul
BOXING: The president of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA), Dominic O'Rourke, has hailed the performances of the Irish team after they won three gold and two silver medals at the fifth European Union Championships at the National Stadium on Saturday. p
Hatton reduces Castillo to rubble
BOXING/IBO world light-welterweight fight: When a fighter attains the levels of warrior ferocity, technical excellence and sheer bloody-minded bulldog bravery as that exemplified by Ricky Hatton when he subdued Kostya Tszyu two years ago in Manchester, it is inevitable that he should then be judged only by the highest standards. p
Clinical Dunne outflanks Viking Professional
BOXING/European super-bantamweight title fight: If boxing can occasionally rise above the catcalls and thuds, the braying of the crowd and the spilling of blood, then Saturday night showcased the technical mastery of Bernard Dunne and the unadorned bravery of the little Norwegian challenger Reidar "The Viking" Walstad. p
Clean sweep for Ireland
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland's show jumpers ran riot through the international ranks in Drammen yesterday, winning both the Nations Cup and the Grand Prix and claiming the top two slots in the morning speed class just for good measure. p
Blondie a worthy winner
SAILING: After three days of, at times, frustration for both sailors and race management, the Saab Irish Cruiser Championships were decided off Roche's Point yesterday with practically all four seasons of weather on offer. p
Carlow minors punch above their weight just like Dunne
TV View: Fists flying left, right and centre; jabs, hooks and uppercuts galore, a bout of epic proportions, but the officials finally restored order and Carlow and Louth's minors got on with the game at Croke Park. p
Roche's team finishes eighth in Eindhoven trial
CYCLING: Nicolas Roche showed he is recovering after completing the Tour of Italy when he and his Crédit Agricole squad raced to a solid eighth in the Eindhoven team time trial ProTour race yesterday, writes Shane Stokes . p
Difficult re-entry into international competition
CRICKET/One Day Internationals Stormont: Ireland suffered a difficult re-entry into international competition in Belfast over the weekend, as they played host to India and South Africa in the Future Cup Series. p
Duddy star rising after taking bronze
ROWING/World Cup regatta: Orlagh Duddy took a bronze medal at only her second World Cup regatta in Amsterdam yesterday. The Derry woman (27) was the star of the show on a day Ireland also had two creditable results in Olympic-class events, with the men's heavyweight four finishing fifth in their A Final and the lightweight women's double scull winning their B Final to take seventh overall. p
O'Keeffe hammers record
ATHLETICS/Europa Cup: Paul Hession followed up his record-breaking run in the 100 metres on Saturday by winning the 200 metres yesterday on the concluding session of the European Cup in Vaasa in Finland - but that wasn't enough to stave off the relegation of Ireland's men from the first league. p
Castleknock boys cut swathe to greatness
Locker Room: Like most journalists, I like when scribbling for pay to dress things up. My favourite frill is to refer confidently to a theory or notion the complexity and true meaning of which I haven't even the faintest grasp. p

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